Nakayama Shimpeii

Shimpeii Nakayama was among the pioneers of enka, or kayokyoku, the initial pop song design to fuse American scales with Japan minor settings. While earlier tries to blend both cultures had didn’t spark the interest of Japanese listeners, Nakayama paved just how for future years. Although he demonstrated hints of what to include his melody “Kachusha No Uta,” sung by Matsui Sumako within a dramatization of Tolstoy’s book, Resurrection, he reached his maximum along with his 1921 structure, “Sendo Kouta (Boatman’s Tune).” Eight years following the tune was presented, it remains the typical for Japanese pop music.